uebelmesser



C. UEBELMESSER.

MOTION PICTURE CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II, I915.

Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0-. UEBE LMESSER.

' MOTION PICTURE CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11. 1915.

Patvnred Juno 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS SHEET Z.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES UEBELMESSER, OF NEW YORK; N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CRU PATENTS CORPORA- TION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MOTION-PICTURE CAMERA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J nne 3, 1915 To all whom it may concern:

Be it-known that I, CHARLES Umsnmrizssnn, a subject. of the Emperor of Germany. residing at New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Improved Motion-Picture Cameras, of which the following is a clear full, and exact description.

This .invention relates tb an improvement in motion picture cameras and pertains more particularly to the shutters or screening device and operating mechanism therefor. The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the shutters can be adjusted as to the time they will intercept the path of light and the duration of such interception, the said adjustment being effected during the operation of the-apparatus.

The adjustment referred to comprises means to reduce or increase the period of time during which the shutter interferes with the path of light while the apparatus is in motion. 1

A further object is to provide means whereby the shutters can be adjusted automatically in connection with a framing device, if'one is used. in a motion picture machine. The framing device referred to alters the timing of the pictures relative to the shutters, hence I'adjust the shutters automatically with the timing of thepictures relative thereto.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a motion picture device showing a portion of the shutter adjusting devices.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof. the section being taken on a line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view. the section being taken on a line 33 in Fig. l and Fig. l is a front elevation of a portion of a motion picture device on a reduced scale illustrating my improvement.

In the drawing the casing of a motion pioture device indicated by 1. the said casing being provided with the usual lens 2.

To screen the lens 2. I provide a plurality of shutters 3 and shaving vanes 5 and (i respectively. The shutter 3 is carried by a tubular shaft 7 and the shutter l by a solid shaft 8 extending through the tubular shaft 7.

Adjacent the inner end of the shaft 3. I secure a gear 9 and at the inner end of the shaft 7, I secure a gear 10, bothiof said gears having in mesh therewith an idler gear 11.

To rotate the shafts 7 and 8 and consewhich is a pin 17,

(juently the shutters 3 and l, I provide a spiral gear 12 having in mesh therewith a spiral pinion 13 slidably mounted on the shaft 7 and splined to the said shaft by a spline 1 1. The pinion 13 carries a collar 15 having an'annular groove 16 fitted to carried by an arm 18; the arm 18 is carried by a shaft 19 to which is secured a gear 21 havingin mesh therewith a worm 20. Upon the outer end of the shaft 19, I mount one end of a rocking frame-21". The rocking frame 21 carries a shaft 22 to which the worm 20 is secured. The shaft 22 is rotated by means of a thumb wheel The free end of the frame 21 carries a slot 2; to which is fitted apin 25 carried by a rotatable disk 26 mounted on the casing 1.

To the disk 26, I secure one end of a link 27, the other end being secured to a lever 28 which operates a shaft 29 carrying a gear 30 having in mesh therewith a gear 31 on the vertical shaft 32. The shaft 82 operates a framing device which is not shown but it may operate any desirable form of framing device. By means of the lever :28 link 27. disk 26 and frame 21. I am able to adjust the shutters 3 and 1 simultaneously with the framing of a film as will be described.

The function of the vanes 5 and 6 of the shutters 3 and e is to screen the lens 2 and the extent of such screening will depend upon the adjustment of the vanes relatively to each other. It will be evident that the shutters 3 and 4 will be rotated in opposite directions and the lens will be screened when the vanes crossthe face thereof.

The minimum amount of screening effect of the vanes will be when said vanes exactly .aline while crossing the face of the lens. To

increase the be separated cross the face of the lens. To vary the amount of vane surface. I manipulate the thumb wheel 23 which will rotate the gears 20 and 21 and actuate the arm 18. IVhcn the arm 18 is rotated toward the left in Fig. 3. the gear -3 will slide along the tubular shaft 7 toward the left and will in consequence be rotated. The rotation of the gear 13 will. rotate the shaft 7. gears 9. 10 and 11 and the shaft 8; saidshafts being operated in opposite directions. It is obvious that when the framing device is moved it is necessary to shift. the shutters relative to each other to correspondingly vary the amount of screening effect allowed by the shutters.

screening efl ect the vanes will to present more surface as they thereof which is necessary to compensate the same for changes madeto the framing device, is securedsimultaneously and com cidently with the changes of the framingdeyice.

The movement of the gear 13 will shift" the shutter 3 in the direction of the arrow 33 in Fig. -l, the shutter 4 being shifted in the direction of the arrow 34. 'This' shifting will bring the vanes 5 and G closer together and decrease the screening effect. Vhen the gear 13 is moved in the opposite direction or toward the right the anes I and 5 will be moved apart thereby increasing the screening effect. The shifting of theshutr ters, to alter the position of the vanes of the shutters will not interfere with their rotation during the operation of the machine.

In fact the object of theinvention is to provide mechanism by which. means the shut-- ters can be adjusted while in motion. The gear 12 may be operated in any desirable manner but preferably in conjunction with the film advancing mechanism which is not shown but is knownin this art. The func: tion of the lever :28, link 2?, disk 26 and pin and slot connections 25 and Etis to shift the posit-ion of the vanes during the framing of the fihn.

"hen the frame 21 is shifted or moved the shaft- 19 thereon will rotate and hence the arm 18 and gear 13 will shift-"in aecordance with the direction of movenrient of the framing lever 28. During the adjustment of the shutters bynieans of the thumb wheel Qa-um' frame 21 will remain stationary due to the weight thereof. As has been stated, the framingmechanism has not been shown as this invention is not limited to any P211? ticular form of framing device. I do not limit myself to any particular number of shutter vanes. Three on each shutter can be used, or disks with openings therein.

IVhat I claim is:

1. In a 'motion picture device, a shutter screening device consisting of a pair of shutters, means to rotate same in opposite directions. a spiral gear slidably mounted on the shaft for one of said shutters. a gear carried by said shaft, a gear mounted on the shaft of the other shutter. an idle gear mesh-- ing with said gears to reverse the direction thereof, means to rotate said spiral gear, and means to slide said gear, upon its shaft whereby the position of the shutters relative to each othercan be changed.

2. In a motion picture device, a lens, apair of shutters, arranged for rotation oppositely to each other in front of said lens, shafts therefor,- a gear mounted on each shaft, an idle gear in mesh therewith, the axis of which is substantially at a right angle to the axes of the inter-meshing gears, a spiral gear slidably carried by the shaft of one of said shutters. a gear to rotate said spiral gear, means to shift said slidable spiral gear' while the device. is in operation, whereby said spiral gear is moved substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with a motion picture apparatus. an adj ustabl-eslmtter device consisting of two shutters mounted upon two shafts, said two shaftsrotarillv connected with each other to revolve in opposite directions by means of a fixedly mounted-train of gears,- and a spiral slidable gear mounted upon one of said shutter shafts, and means to drive said spiral gear and means for shifting said spiral gear longitudinally upon the shutter shaft for the purpose of altering'the relative position of said shutters to each other for the purpose described.

-l". In combination with a motion picture apparatus having a plurality of shutters mounted on independent shafts and means to operate said shutters in opposite directions, said shutters being driven by means of a spiral gear mounted on one of the shutter shafts, and means to slide-said gear longitudinally for the purpose of altering the relative position of all shutters synchronously for the purpose described.

I). In a motion picture machine, the coinbmation with a'fran'i'mg device for the film of said machine. of a pair of shutters mount-' ed on independent shafts. means for revolvmg said shutters in opposite directions, a

spiral geanmountedon the shaft of one of said shutters. and connections between said framing device and said spiral gear whereby when said framing device is shifted said spiral gear is shifted horizontally on its shaft.

(i. In a motion picture machine. the combination with a framing device for the film of said ma'chine. of a pair of shutters mounted on imlependent shafts, means for revolving said shutters in opposite directions, a spiral gear mounted on the shaft of one of said shutters. and connections between said framingdevice and said spiral gear whereby when said framingdeviceis shifted said spiral gear is shifted horizontally on its shaft. and means for shifting said spiral gear independently of said framing device.

Signed at New York city, New York, this rth day of March, one thousand nine hundred and fifteen.

' (I L-XRL-ES I EBELMESSER. IVitnesses ROBERT RICHTER, FRED F. IVEISS'; 

